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Early Sunday morning the tanker ship Acadian left Charlottetown heading for Newfoundland after the ship was escorted through challenging ice conditions in the Northumberland Strait earlier this weekend.

Two Canadian Coast Guard ships, Louis St-Laurent and Edward Cornwallis, were sent to the the the Northumberland Strait Saturday.

The Louis St-Laurent worked to clear ice from the ship's path.

Paul Veber, the Coast Guard's Superintendent of Ice Operations, told CBC News that ice conditions in the strait this winter have made it especially challenging to get ships to Charlottetown.

He said they haven't seen ice this bad in about 10 years.

By the time the Acadian reached Charlottetown harbour, high winds had broken up ice inside the harbour.

The Acadian was able to successfully dock without the help of the smaller icebreaker, CCGS Edward Cornwallis.

The tanker unloaded its cargo of oil in Charlottetown Saturday night.

Around 7 a.m. on Sunday, Edward Cornwallis escorted the ship out of Charlottetown harbour to Hillsborough Bay as a precaution, said ice-watch keeper Jamie Regular.

CCGS Louis St. Laurent then took over, making sure the way was clear for the Acadian to safely make it through the Northumberland Strait toward its next destination in St. John's.